Adjustable mold board



Ap 27, 1943. E. STROUP ADJUSTABLE MOLD BOARD Filed April 17, 1940 INVENTOR.' P4/asf 5' M01/f wat? ATToRN Patented pr. 27, '1943 UNITED STATES EATENT OFFICE ADEUSTABLE MOLD BOARD Ernest Strcup, Homer-ville', Ohio Applicationpril 17, 1940, Serial No. 330,170

(Cl. 97-11{-)v 6 Claims.

The invention relates to adjustable mold board plows, and has for an object to eiect improvements contributing to the practicability and efficiency of such devices and to the simplicity of their construction, durability, and adaptability to varied uses.

t is an important aim of the invention to present a construction of adjustable mold board which will be rugged in construction, readily operated at will to vary the inclination of the mold board and will be liable in a minimum degree to impairment or obstruction by becoming clogged with earth, grass, roots and the like.

It is well understood that very slight irregularities of surface vary the degree of friction ci' the soil on the mold board, and in certain conditions of soil especially where clay is present, the tendency thereof to stick to the surface of the mold board is a serious factor in impeding progress of the plow, and consequently the amount of work which may be accomplished, as well as the efficiency of the plow in turning the sod. It is therefore a most important object of my invention to present a hinge structure for an adjustable mold board. which will minimize the liability of earth to catch on` the angularities or surfaces of the parts of the plow adiacent o-r comprising the hinge.

Another object is to present a novel means for operating the adjustable mold board.

Additional objects, advantages and features ci invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combinati-on of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention as more particularly described hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a top view of a formal representation of a plow and plow share, and my adjustable mold board.

Figure 2 is an elevatio-n of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the implement.

Figure 4 is a detail cross section of the hinge of the mold board.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating certain operating parts of the device.

There is illustrated conventionally, a portion of a plow frame including the beam It, the details of the draft therefor, mounting of the handles, coulter and other adjuncts not being shown, since they comprise no novel part of my invention and are generally understood.

The beam includes a stock or stem portion iI extending downwardly, and having a plow share I2 mounted thereon in any approved manner, which may conform to familiar practices already well known. The share IZ has secured to its inner side ahinge plate I3 ofsuitable form and dimensions, extending a distance above the top of the share, the latter being nished with a rectilinear horizontal edge I4.. The plate I3 is provided with a suitable. nished face I5 receiving the rear or under face of the share, andY this finishedface is extended a distance above the top edge I4. Beyondl this extended face part the plate I3 is formed withv a multiplicity of hinge ears or knuckles I6, offset sufciently to the rear or inward-ly fromv the surface I5 and apertured to receive a hinge pin` Il. Set upon and secured to the extended face I5 so as to abut flush against the edge I4 of thel share, there is a closer plate I8, having an upperV edge portion which is hollow ground or otherwise finished to present a surface which is concentric with the axis of the pin I'I. The plate I3 is also recessed as at I9, under this curved face of the closer plate, for aA purpose to be described.

A` mold board 20 is provided, having a hinge plate 25| secured thereto, complementary tothe plate I3 before described and similar thereto to the extent of having hinge earsl or knuckles 22 interiitting with the knuckles I6, the pin I'I being commonly engaged through all the knuckles.

The lower edge of the -mold board is finished on a rectilinear line parallel to the plate I8\, and this edge ground or otherwise'nished to fit snugly to the curved face of the plate I8. The extremity of the curved edge ofthe plate I8 is preferably located on a radius of the pin approximately at right angles to the outer face of the plate I8. In other words, the curved edge of the plate I8 is nearly tangent to the radius of the pin I'I falling across the top edge of mold board 20.

The curvature of the topedge of the plate I8, beginning at its outer face causes this curved edge to extend downwardly a material distance at the inner side, so that it terminates inwardly much further from the radius n-amed and on a radius of the pin at a considerable angle to the first mentioned radius, and the recess IS iscoincident with this lower part of the curved upper edge of the plate I8. The lower edge 23 of the plate of which the mold board 20' is formed has its lower edge formed as a convex curved surface concentric with the pink I beginning at the -rst mentioned radiusv ofthe pin and projecting therebeyond to a radius coincident with the intersection of the convex edge face and the back or under face of the mold board.

On the stock Il at the side next the mold board there is mounted a nearly or quite vertical guide channel bracket 23, which in the present instance is shown as formed of heavy sheet metal having a body plate substantially planiform with inturned longitudinal edges forming overhanging ilanges 24 spaced apart to form a channel way, and the ends of the plate are extended and bent outward a distance forming upper and lower arms 25 having revolubly mounted therein a screw shaft 26 parallel to the guide. This shaft is extended above the upper arm 25 and provided with a hand crank 21 by which the shaft may be rotated as required. A sliding bracket 2S is provided, formed of a planiform plate having flanges 29 slidably engaged under the flanges 24 for guiding the bracket in movement upwardly and downwardly. A nut or internal worm block 33 is xed on the bracket 28 receiving the screw shaft, whereby on rotation of the shaft the bracket 28 will be moved accordingly upward or downward on the bracket 23.

The bracket 2S is shaped as a frustum of an inverted right triangle, having an outer hypotenuse edge formed with a T flange 3| similar to the one 23, a short horizontal bottom edge 32 and a long top edge 33 between the two flanges. Slidable on the flange 3| there is a yoke piece 34, shaped to receive the flange 3| snugly and slidably therein, and having an outwardly projecting ear 35, which is in turn pivoted between two ears 36 comprising part of a bracket 31 secured to the back or inner face of the mold board near its upper edge. The bracket 23 being of less altitude than the channel bracket 23, it is free to be moved by operation of the crank 21, sliding in the channel of the bracket 23, and the yoke 34 sliding relatively on the ilange `3|-of the bracket 28 as Lthe latter is moved. Since bracket 28 projects further from the p-low beam and stock at its upper part than at its lower part, when the yoke is at the lower part of the bracket the mold board is retracted, and when the bracket 28 is lowered so that the yoke 34 is near the upper part of the bracket 28, the mold board will be projected further outward and will eiiect a greater turning movement on soil or sod passing thereagainst.

The adjusting bracket 23 is preferably located as nearly as practicable to a plane at right angles to the axis of the pin |1 so that as the pivot bracket 31 on the mold board swings inward and outward, it will align with the plane of the bracket 28, and so avoid binding on the latter, or strain of the parts. Other expedients may be practiced to conform the parts to the movements required, as desired, and various changes of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The mold board is adjusted by operating the crank 21 in the proper direction. The bracket 28 may be said to be substantially wedge-shaped, and in its downward movement it acts somewhat as a wedge to force the mold board outward, while in its upward movement it has a reverse action, retracting the mold-board. The pivoting of the yoke 34 enables the latter to accommodate itself to the difference in the angular relation of the mold board and flange 3| at different positions of the mold board. By having the pivot of the ear 35 slightly loose so as to provide a limited universal pivotal action, some difference between the arc of the bracket 31 and the plane of the path of the yoke 34 may be accommodated. The screw serves to hold the device in adjusted positions, without other fastenings ordinarily.

In the operation of the mold board, when the bracket 28 is at lowermost position, the projected under edge of the mold board next the share l2 will extend into the recess I9, and at all positions of the mold board there is a nearly continuous surface from the share I2 across the joint to the mold-board. This makes for ease of operation of the plow in wet ground and a minimum tendency to start clay-content soils to adhering to the plow faces, requiring less expenditure of power to drive the plow.

I claim:

l. A plow structure comprising a frame portion, a plow share element thereon, a mold board pivoted on the share, a guide mounted on the frame extending generally from the direction of the ground upwardly, an adjusting member having an inclined guide portion and slidably mounted in the guide, a yoke device pivoted on the mold board and slidably engaged with said inclined portion of the adjusting member, and means to hold the adjusting member in adjusted positions.

2. The structure of claim l in which the last named means consists of a screw device engaged with the adjusting member and means to operate the screw.

3. A plow structure comprising a plow frame, a plow share element, a mold board pivoted in abutment with the share element, a vertical guide on the frame, a wedge shaped member having one side slidably mounted on said guide, and a relatively inclined side slidably engaged with the mold board, a screw parallel to said guide, a nut element on the wedge shaped member receiving the screw, and means to operate the screw.

4. A plow comprising a share, a mold board having its lower edge arranged in contact with the upper edge of the share, said edges contacting throughout their entire length and one being concave and the other convex, and means connecting the mold board to the share for angular adjustment with respect thereto about an axis located back of the mold board and above the contacting edges of the share and mold board and forming the center of curvature of said edges, whereby to provide the plow with a substantially continuous front side in any adjusted position of the mold board with relation to the share.

5. A plow comprising a share, a plate xed to the share in contact with the upper edge of the share, a mold board having its lower edge arranged in contact with the upper edge of the plate, said edges contacting throughout their entire length and one being concave and the other convex, and means connecting the mold board to the share for angular adjustment with respect thereto about an axis located back of the mold board and above the contacting edges of the plate and mold board and forming the center of curvature of said edges, whereby to provide the plow with a substantially continuous front side in any adjusted position of the mold board with relation to the share.

6. A plow comprising a share, a mold board, a strip inserted between the upper edge of the share and the lower edge of the mold board and of the mold board and above the contacting edges 10 of the strip and mold board and forming the center of curvature of said edges, whereby to provide the plow with a substantially continuous front side in any adjusted position of the mold board With relation to the share, the lower edge of the mold board extending into the recess of the plate in certain adjusted positions of the former.

ERNEST STROUP. 

